Chinese technology giant Huawei confirmed on Friday (February 2) that French prosecutors had conducted a search of its offices in France two days ago. Previously, media reported that the French Financial Prosecution Service (PNF) raided Huawei, accusing the company of suspected "violation of integrity", etc. However, Huawei denied any wrongdoing and stated that it would cooperate with the investigation.
Huawei pointed out in the statement that it is and will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation, and emphasized that Huawei has a history of more than 20 years in France and has always complied with French laws and regulations. The statement also emphasized that the company would not comment on the ongoing investigation, but was confident in the findings.
According to media reports from "Deutsche Welle" and "Bloomberg", an official from the French Ministry of Justice said on Thursday (8th) that the investigation was aimed at suspected "violations of integrity". According to French law, so-called breaches of integrity may involve a wide range of behaviors, including corruption, misuse of public funds, abuse of power for personal gain, etc. However, the French judicial authorities have not yet provided further explanation on the investigation of Huawei.
Agence France-Presse previously reported, citing sources, that French prosecutors raided Huawei on Tuesday (6th). This was a preliminary investigation launched by the French Financial Prosecutor's Office, but no details of the relevant investigation have been disclosed yet.
It is understood that Huawei began investing in France in 2003 and currently has 6 research centers and a global design center in France. In addition, Huawei is currently building a factory in northeastern France. This is Huawei's first factory outside China and will produce mobile network equipment such as 5G technology.
Further reading｜Huawei is rumored to build its first European factory in France next year and start production by the end of 2025
It is also worth noting that Huawei currently holds about 2% of the French telecommunications market and is the world's leading 5G equipment manufacturer. However, in June last year, the European Commission warned that Huawei and another Chinese telecom giant ZTE pose risks to EU security. The company has been at the center of the storm between China and the United States in the past few years, but Huawei has repeatedly denied that its equipment may used in espionage activities.
